Troy police bust indoor-pot growing operation

Updated 8:04 pm, Monday, June 13, 2011

TROY -- A city man was charged Monday with operating a marijuana-growing operation in a city apartment, Rensselaer County Sheriff Jack Mahar said Monday.

Jonathan Lachappelle, 23, of 705 Second Ave., was arrested following a three-month investigation, the sheriff said.

Lachappelle was charged with first-degree criminal possession of marijuana and growing cannabis. He was arraigned before Brunswick Town Justice Robert Schmidt and sent to the Rensselaer County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail bond or $5,000 cash.

Acting on a tip, investigators from the sheriff's department, Rensselaer County Drug Task Force and the city police Special Investigations Unit searched the apartment. They took into possession more than 10 pounds of marijuana, scales, grow lamps, lights, ballasts, freezer bags, a vacuum sealer, a ventilation fan with tubing, about $1,500 in cash and a box of 9mm ammunition.